Terry's Legacy
by Kardasman
Summary: Sequel to - A Night to Remember. So read that one first if you havent yet :
1. The Begginning

Urgh. I hate Monday mornings with every fibre of my being. Back to work again yay what fun. I yawned and stretched in my bed, eyes tracing out non existent patterns on the ceiling. I reached over and smacked the alarm clock like every other day. That will teach it I thought it never worked. I swung the covers off of me and moved into a sitting position on the side of the bed. Man it was a tough life getting up at seven every morning. But I needed the money. I yanked on a pair of trousers from the floor and stood up, whilst buckling the belt. I scrambled around for a shirt when I heard a voice laden with sleep but coated with honey say "Come back to bed and sleep you need it baby."

I looked at the figure lying in the bed and smiled remembering the fateful day twenty years ago that had led to this point. "No thanks honey you know I would love to spend the entire day doing nothing you but unfortunately I have to work." She responded by opening her eyes and sitting up against the headboard of the bed. Her hair a tangled mess and make-up less she still looked amazing. "Your never fail to stun me day after day even without your face on," I laughed at her. Bella grinned and reaching over she snatched the shirt out of my hand and thrust it under the covers. "You won't be going to work without this," She giggled in a very cheeky fashion.

"I'll just have to get it then won't I?" I replied and jumped onto the bed burrowing my way into under the covers in search of my shirt.

I ended up lying back in bed next to Bella holding her tightly and kissing her ever so gently. Eventually though I had to extricate myself for fear of never making it to work. "Listen baby I have to go but I'll see you later. I love you," I told her.

"I love you too honey, I'll see you later," And with one last quick goodbye kiss I dashed from the room down the stairs and out into my car.

For somebody who had lacked flare and enthusiasm in anything I tried at school and college I had done rather well for myself, securing five high A-Levels and a big bunch of other qualifications in lots of stuff I doubt I can remember now. I settled down into the luxury leather seat of my Aston Martin Vanquish and slipped the key into the ignition. The engine exploded into life the fully customised six pistons pumping away. I grinned nothing could please me more than my car apart from my lovely wife who I would do anything for. I reversed out onto the driveway and tore down the road heading into the city and towards my job as managing director of a growing sports company.

With a screech of the tyres and a flick of the gear stick the car rumbled to a quick stop in my usual reserved parking space. I leapt from the car adrenaline blasting around my body a result of my very reckless driving. I was hyped and raring to go. I locked my car securely and marched into the reception of the building briefcase in hand. "Good morning Mr. Dix," I heard one of the ladies on reception call to me. I looked over and smiled saying "Isn't it indeed my dear good morning to you too," this made her blush and me smile all the more harder.

I hopped into the lift and rode it up to my floor number six and climbing out I walked through the cubicles towards my office at the end. I called out several greetings and answered various questions before letting myself into the office that I had personalised into my own. In the corner stood a huge seven foot yucca plant that had been my Gran's when she passed away I rescued the plant and brought it here. A framed picture of me and Bella was on my desk with all the usual office stuff, so pretty much mine was the typical cliché office.

I sat down in my leather chair behind the desk and leaned back breathing deeply. Ah I hated working but I loved this job that I could tell you that any day. The door flew open making my jump and Laura my secretary burst into the room carrying a sheaf of papers and documents. "Good morning Laura I see you brought me my usual Monday morning work. How lovely," She smiled and placed the documents in front of me on the desk saying "Yes these are the reports from over the weekend everything from profits, to sales, to recommendations of products we should stop marketing." This was going to be a taxing day I just knew it.

"Oh and before I forget I have Alice on line two for you. I'd talk to her quickly if I were you though she seemed a bit upset," but before she had even finished I was reaching for the phone. I hadn't talked to Alice for months and then she just rings me out of the blue at work I knew something was up. My hand paused over the receiver and I said "Thank you Laura you can go now," She nodded and left the room. I picked up the phone and put it to my ear. "Alice! I cried how are you honey its been ages since we last talked." I heard a muffled sob from the other end and I knew something was totally wrong. "Alice?" I asked. Her voice sounded down the phone shaky and almost cracked. "There's been an accident," She stammered out. "Terry was in it he's in intensive care can you come down here?" I was shocked into silence.

I knew that over the past few months Terry had been going downhill that was the reason me and Alice stopped talking after I had a go at him and told him to "Sort your fucking life out." "I'll be right there I said and I dropped the phone onto the base and flew across the room grabbing my jacket on the way out. "Laura I'll be at the hospital indefinitely take messages," and I hit the stairs running…..


	2. The Reckoning

I burst out from the entrance at the bottom of the building and dashed acoss the car park to my car. Unlocking it from a distance i wondered at what could possibly had happened to Terry. I lept into the car starting up the engine before i even shut the door. It was a good job i had a nice fast car it came in useful sometimes. I hurtled along the roads at a breakneck speed even faster than usual. Pulling into the hospital carpark rather breathless i locked the car whilst already legging it towards the front door.

I paused at the desk to catch my breath, hair a mess and my tie cast usunder over my shoulder. "Terry.. Urgh Terry Walton please," I rammed out in between harsh and deep breaths. "Up the stairs and turn left you can't miss it," But i was already off running again. I smashed open the doors to the stairwell and had to leap to the side to avoid colliding with a man in a wheelchair. "Whatch where your goning sonny!" he shouted after me but i paid little attention.

I entered the corridor and following the signs to the intensive are unit rounded the corner and saw Alice sitting in a chair by the wall. Milo and Reggie were already both there and as i approached Milo got up and walked towards me, Reggie staying to comfort Alice. "How is he?" I asked Milo. He sighed and looked down at the floor. "Not good at all im afriad, he's deep in a coma right now so we know until he wakes up if he's going to survive or not. All i could think of to say was "Fuck."

I walked over to Alice and Reggie, who offered me a silent nod his arm still around Alice. I sat down beside Alice and Reggie removed his arm saying "i'm going into to check on him is that ok?" Alice nodded her acceptance through teary eyes. Milo volunteered to go with Reggie. i satyed behind with Alice to make sure she was ok and to find out what had happened that could have incapitated Terry so.

"Alice," I said "Look at me." She obliged tears streaking her face and bags under her eyes. She looked thin and pale and wracked with misery. "Listen Alice Terry will be fine i promise the docotor's here are the best in the city i know i own the hospital," This wasnt entirely true but i did have a big influence over the board of directors after knowing three of them through school. But by telling Alice this i hoped to reilive her suffering a bit. "I hope so, i really hope so i don't know what i would do without him," She replied and leaned against me. i put my arm around her frail shoulders as she began to sob again her jaw length black hair shaking violently.

Milo and Reggie returned and i stood to go visit Terry. Just before i got to the door to the room i heard Alice say something behind me. "Wait. Dixie wait I'll come with you," Surprised I looked round at her as she climbed shakily to her feet. "Are you sure I asked her?" Worried about her health. She nodded and walked over to me. I put and arm round her shoulders and guided her through the doors.

A terrible scene awaited us inside the doors. A white linen bed was up against one of the walls and in it lay my friend of thirty one year's Terry. He looked terrible. Tubes of all sorts and needles were embedded in his arms and stomach. Machines of varying shapes and sizes all with different functions surrounded the bed. I almost broke down then seeing him like that but i had to stay strong if only to look after Alice. She was already in tears again and standing at the end of the bed softly stroking Terry's hair. I approached them and looked down into the silent sleeping face below me. A dark blue and purple bruise surrounded his left eye. I smiled as I remembered the last time he had acquired a black eye like that. We had called him Shiny for a week. Even as we stood there looking at him I had a sense of foreboding that warned me this might be the last time I could see Terry.

"Oh Terry what have you done to yourself," I whispered under my breath. As if in response he moved slightly and his eyelids fluttered. Alice hunched straight over him and i heard him whisper one word and the machines began flashing and going haywire. I saw the tears falling from Alice's eyes and the noises of doctors and nurses bashing through the doors. But I knew it was too late Terry was gone. With the name of his love on his lips. His last word still haunts me. He said "Alice..."


	3. The Loss

I stumbled out through the doors of the now silent room and collapsed into a chair outside. In my head I mentally went over what had happened in that room. Terry's seizure and the nurses and doctors trying to resuscitate him. Alice in tears and screaming and crying for Terry. Me holding on to her and stopping her getting in the doctors way. Reggie and Milo's arrival and me telling them to get Alice out of there. They both obliged and pulled her from the room whilst I remained at the edges to watch the futile attempt to save Terry. Then the horrible noise of a flat line. The continuous beep searing my ear drums and imprinting itself on my brain. Then the doctors stopped and looked at each other with grim expressions on their faces and one of them flicked the switch on the heart monitor cutting off the noise that warned of the reaper's approach. That's when I knew it was over and Terry wouldn't b coming back.

Alice was in the room with him by themselves now. I could hear her slightly muffled voice stained with sadness eking out of the room but not make out the individual words. Milo, Reggie and I sat in silence together. We had nothing to say to each other and anything we did say would be of no consequence. So we kept silent me sat in a chair by the door keeping a silent vigil over Alice and Terry. Reggie pacing up and down the corridor deep in thought and Milo sat over the other side of the hall drinking deeply from a cup of coffee but staring blankly at the wall. I had already made a call to Bella and she was on her way over to comfort Alice. Reggie had borrowed my phone and called his wife as well and Beth was travelling here as fast as possible.

Beth and Reggie's wedding had been a marvel and probably one of the biggest shows of the year. Decade even. God knows how Reggie afforded it all it must have been a fortune. Beth had arrived in a hired helicopter and waltzed into the small chapel with a twenty foot bridal chain. At least 20 foot. She had been wearing a brilliant white dress adorned and embroidered with sparkling sequins and various tiny diamond shards that glinted in the sunlight. Reggie was wearing an expensive suit and couldn't have looked happier. Milo, Terry and I were his best men with Alice, Laura and my beautiful Bella opposite us as bridesmaids. That was the last time all four of us were together. That had been three years ago and the terry had slowly got worse and worse and now this had happened.

My thoughts were interrupted when Bella and Beth burst through the hospital corridor doors. Both of them had arrived at the same time despite working in different companies. Beth ran across the corridor and threw herself into Reggie's arms where he embraced her tightly as her frame racked with Sobs. Her supermodel blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders and down to her waist covering Reggie's comforting hands wrapped around her slender form. My Bella was a bit more calmer she was always good with situations that were dramatic and tense. She crossed the room towards me and I drew her into an embrace and buried my face in her soft conditioned hair. I felt tears at the corner of my eyes but I knew this was not the time for them so i bit them back with a sharp intake of breath. I withdrew from Bella's hold and looked into her eyes where i could see tears forming as well but I knew she was strong enough not to shed them. The her expression took on a questioning appearance and she said "Alice? Where is she and how's she taking it?"

"Not that well really considering her husband has just kicked it," I responded a bit agitated at the rather silly question. Bella just smiled without feeling and nodded. "I take it she's with him now then?" I just nodded suddenly drained of all my energy I just wanted to go home and sleep. Sleep with the only woman in my life that mattered beside me. Her warm smooth body beside me and her breath on my face reassuring me of her presence.

Bella walked over to Beth and Reggie and extricated her from his arms with soothing words and saying they needed to stay strong for Alice. God I love that woman. Milo had disappeared in the midst of this commotion and leaving the ladies and Reggie I slipped off to find him. I had a rather good suspicion as to where he would be. Sure enough out the back of the hospital, cigarette in hand, was Milo staring blankly into the distance. I walked towards him from behind and stopped when i was beside him. We both just stood for a while before Milo said to me "He was a good guy. It's going to be hard to learn to live without him," he flicked the cherry off the cigarette on the wall and took a deep drag on it. "I know. I know but we all have each other to help us get through it and most importantly we need stay strong for Alice. Can you do that Milo?" He looked at me and grinned.

"Of Course I can Dixie don't worry about that."

"Good now come on lets go and find the others and see how Alice is." Milo flicked the last of the cigarette onto the ground where he crushed it under one foot and turned to the door with me. We both walked side by side into the hospital ready to face whatever was waiting for us ...


	4. The Aftermath

"Turn the lights out, It's less dangerous, Here we are now entertain us, I feel stupid and contagious, here we are now, entertain us!" the soothing sounds of Nirvana's Smells Like Team Spirit blasted through the house. After we had left the hospital every had come back to my house and Alice was going to stay the night with us so she wasn't left on her own. Bella was downstairs with her now talking to her and Beth. Milo and Reggie were taking out the strain on my Xbox in the front room, even after everything they still found joy in games consoles.

I sighed to myself as I looked at the collection of pictures on my desk. There was one of me and Bella just after we had got married and she looked gorgeous. Then there was one of me Reggie, Milo and Terry. This was the one that had my attention the moment. The four of us were had been out partying a few years ago for new year's eve. We had been in a bar and asked someone to take our photo. Sure enough he took the photo but then tried to run off with my camera. So the four of us drunkenly stumbled after him and eventually managed to wrestle my camera back. The picture held special memories for me and I was pleased I had thought to frame it.

The phone rang, a sharp sound that made me jump. I gathered myself and picked up the receiver. "Hello?" I inquired. "Mr. Dix." It was Laura my secretary "I had a phone call for you come through after you left today, it was a Mr. Valvel calling from Adike. The sports company he want to meet with you on Saturday."

"Ok can you call him and arrange the details I have some business I need to take care of so I won't be in to work for the next few days." I told her and then hung up the phone. I stretched and removed myself from my office chair to leave the room. I was walking towards the door when Bella strode in and walked over to me. I gave her a quick hug and smiled. She smiled back and said to me "Food's ready honey." I grinned even wider most women would just shout at their husbands but not Bella. No she went out of her way to do all kinds of stuff for me. She turned to leave but I caught her arm and pushed the door shut. She turned back to me and I enfolded her in my arms and kissed her lightly. She wrapped her arms tightly round me and dissolved in to tears.

"I can't believe that Terry's gone and poor Alice having to live with it. I don't know how she will manage I know I wouldn't be able to if I lost you. Never ever become an alcoholic and don't you ever leave me cause I love you and I don't want anything to happen to you." I looked straight down into her deep azure eyes and said with conviction. "Listen to me baby. Nothing is going to happen to me I wouldn't let it because that would mean some other lucky bastard would end up with you. And I wouldn't let that happen cause I love you as well and I still have a fair few years left in me yet. So come on honey give us a smile and let me see how beautiful you are," She did smile at this and I brushed the tears from her cheeks. I kissed her deeply and then said "Come on beautiful we have a house full of guests and a meal to serve up." I took hold of her hand and together we walked downstairs...

That night after Alice had excused herself and gone to bed early saying she needed some sleep, Bella and I were laying in bed next to each other in silence. I could tell we were both deep in thought as Bella was having trouble staying still like she always did when she was thinking and I knew I was thinking hard about the day's events. Eventually Bella rolled over to face me and said in a quiet voice "Dixie I can't sleep are you awake?" In response I rolled back to face her and rested my hand on her shoulder as confirmation I was awake. "I'm thinking about today as well but-" I stopped as Bella put a finger over my lips. "I don't want to talk," She whispered and wriggled closer toward me. I kissed her lightly on the tip of the nose making her giggle slightly and wrapped my arms around her. She moved even closer so our bodies were touching only a frail nightdress between us. She moved one of her legs over mine and kissed me on the lips which I responded to feverishly. As our passion grew she moved on top of me and grasped my forearms pushing them deep into the pillow. I could feel her body on top of mine grinding into me and the forcefulness of her deep kisses and motions. I responded in like and our passion grew thorough the night. Until we eventually collapsed exhausted from our foray and slept deeply in each other's arms...


End file.
